


Paternal Insticts

by readwriteandavengers



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Falling In Love, Father Figures, Graphic Murder Scenes, Kids, Kissing, M/M, Murder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-09-02 17:06:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8675656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/readwriteandavengers/pseuds/readwriteandavengers
Summary: A serial murderer from 2113 has a time ship and is taking victims throughout random time periods. The team's finally able to catch up with the murderer in 1989, but by the time they get there two are already dead, leaving behind two children. Ray takes it upon himself to take care of the kids until the murderer is returned back to his own time.





	

**Author's Note:**

> There's brief descriptions of the murders in the beginning of the story so please beware if that bothers you! If you would like to, open up Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves in another tab. There's one portion here that they start to play a song and it might give you a better feel for the story. Thanks for reading!

When the team landed in 1989, no one expected the mission to be so… emotional. They’d been searching for a serial killer from 2113 that happened to get their hand on a time ship, and as anyone could guess, things were going terribly. There were strings of mass murders through random years.

Four women were found murdered in 1912. That was the first time they were made aware of Bram Hartford and his murderous rage. The women had been mutilated, and the sight had stuck with the team. Seeing the innocent young ladies, ranging from eighteen to twenty-four, strung up by their ankles and drained of their blood was more than enough for the team to dive in with everything they had.

They’d found out Hartford had already left 1912 four days later when Gideon announced a string of murders in 1958. This sight had been worse than the last. Two men and two women were unlucky enough to cross Hartford’s path, and there was no mercy for the four. He’d pinned the men’s hands to the walls with nails, only to make them watch as he murdered their wives.

The team expected Hartford to leave this time, but had no way of tracking him. They’d tried to search for a pattern, they even gathered records from Hartford’s time but even doctors then had to explanation or theory on why Hartford killed. The man was a monster, thirsty for blood and violence. His kill count added up to over three hundred, and adding now that he’s hunting victims through time.

That left them with nothing, until Nate’s seismic machine to gauge for any aberrations had alerted them of the next possible year. The results led them to 1989.

-

“I repeat,” Rip says forcefully into their ear communications, “We need to approach him carefully. As if he hasn’t proved his point, this man is dangerous.”

“He’s going to experience hell if I get my hands on him.” Sara forces through gritted teeth as she stomps her way up to the large mansion.

Ray, Sara, and Nate are on rescue team, while the rest were on defense. Their one goal is clear. Take any survivors they can, provide all forms of protection possible, and bring them to safety. But standing outside a large mansion with all the lights off made their mission a little more difficult.

Nate’s the first to the door and with one fellow kick, the door goes flying off the hinges. The three flood into the home, covering all directions they can. They scan the poorly lit home, but there’s no sight of anyone in the house.

“We need to head upstairs”- Sara starts, but Ray’s grabbing onto Nate’s and Sara’s wrists before they can move.

He lifts his pointer finger to his lips with widened eyes. They need to be quiet. If Hartford is still in the house, this is their chance. They can get the upper hand on him, as long as he slips up.

Ray lets go of them slowly, then takes gentle steps over the hardwood floors. He peers into the living room, but no sign of Hartford. There’s no rustling, nothing seems out of place. Ray’s starting to think. It’s two in the morning now… and if Hartford arrived some time before them than he would have broken in.

They would be in their bedrooms. Ray turns towards Sara and Nate, waving them on as he rushes up the stairs. The two waste no time and quickly follow after him. They take two stairs at a time until the reach the very top.

There are still a lot of rooms, which will make it harder to narrow down. Ray keeps his eyes pointed, scanning for anything out of the usual. It would make sense for a small family to choose the rooms closest to the stairs, considering it wouldn’t make much sense to hide at the very ends of the halls.

Ray steps to the left and as he nears he notices the first door is cracked the slightest. He turns back to Sara and Nate, motioning for the two. He doesn’t speak, but with a look an a few gestures he’s able to convey that they should be looking in this room.

Sara nods, stepping around to take the opposite side of the door. Nate and Ray take the other, but Nate stays in front in case there are any attacks he needs to block.

Sara gives them one nod before she pushes the door open. Nate’s rushing in first and Ray pushes behind him. The three move into the room together, but freeze as they find the sight waiting for them.

Hartford is long gone, leaving two victims in his wake. A woman lies in the center of the bed with her entrails lied beside her on the bed. Her wrists are slit, and her eyes remain open. The three follow her line of sight, only to find her husband hanged in the corner of the room.

Ray lifts a hand to his nose as he forces the smell of fresh blood out of his sinuses. He exhales as he hurries out of the room. The sight is too much, and Nate and Sara quickly follow after. They continue on until they’re back down the stairs, but Sara remembers to update the team.

“Hartford’s not here and two are already dead.” She lets her hand fall from her ear as the reach the front room of the home. She sighs as they take their loss.

“I don’t understand…” Nate trails off as he looks around the home. “It’s a mansion. Only for two people?”

“I don’t think the rich really care.” Sara interjects as she brings her arms up to cross over herself. She obviously feels uncomfortable still hanging around in the home.

Ray, on the other hand, is starting to move forward with Nate’s line of thinking. He turns around and moves into the living room that he previously noticed as spotless. The couch looks like it’s never been sat on, and the entertainment system looks brand new. The living room looks like a set up for visitors, which Ray’s well aware of considering his own background. Rich families like to put their home on display to look as pristine and put together as they can.

One thing families like their two victims up stairs also do is place family portraits around to complete their perfect exterior. Ray picks up the nearest picture frame, turning to so he can study the image. He grows quiet which clearly causes Sara to grow concerned.

“Ray, what is it?” She inquires as she and Nate hover by the door.

Ray turns back around with a somber expression on his face. He turns the silver framed picture to face his two teammates. “Two kids. They weren’t upstairs so there’s still hope. They could be around here.”

Sara’s moving to talk into her device but Nate’s already beat her to it. He’s got his finger pressed to his ear as he alerts the rest of the team.

“The victims have two kids, a boy and a girl, that could still be alive. Keep an eye out.” His voice is strong as he informs the rest of the team, but that only shows how disturbed he is. The fact that two children could be harmed… Nate doesn’t want to think any further on that.

Ray opens his mouth, prepared to suggest they start searching when there’s the smallest clack from behind him. Ray turns slowly, just in case the noise happens again. He’s calculated as he stares in the direction of the sound, now on high alert.

Sara and Nate have noticed Ray’s stance, strong and ready to fight, so they move forward. They’re not sure what Ray’s heard, but they’re prepared just as much as he is in case Hartford lunges out at them. They move towards Ray, but he puts his one hand up to halt them.

They freeze, waiting.

There’s another small noise, and this time Ray recognizes it as a voice. He takes long steps forward until he reaches a small cabinet in the corner of the room. Ray pulls the door open hurriedly, his eyes immediately landing on a seven-year-old girl with her four-year-hold brother in her arms.

She gasps as she sees Ray, clear panic in her eyes. There’s no tears coming from her, but Ray sees the stains running down her cheeks from earlier. His heart breaks a little more at the sight.

“It’s okay,” Ray soothes instantly, putting his hands up with palms flat to let her know he’s not going to hurt them. “It’s okay. You’re okay. We’re here to help you.”

The girl doesn’t respond. She keeps her eyes pointedly on Ray and her arms tightly around her brother. Her breathing is ragged, which has Ray concerned she might send herself into a panic attack. He needs to calm her down, and more importantly they need to get the kids far from this house.

“My name is Ray and these are my friends Sara and Nate. We’re here to help you. It’s not safe in your house right now, okay? So we’ll take you somewhere safe.” Ray’s sure to talk slow. He doesn’t want to overwhelm either of the kids. More than they already are.

The girl sniffles but she looks at Ray with hesitancy. “Are you a cop?”

Ray pauses at the term, but starts to nod as soon as it registers. “I’m something like that, yeah. What if I told you we’re superheroes?”

The little boy in her arms perks up at that, looking up at Ray with a shy smile. “You’re a superhero?”

Ray finds himself nodding, motioning to the Sara and Nate behind him as well. “We all are. That’s the White Canary, and he’s called Steel.”

The little boy’s eyes are glowing at the idea. He’s got his hands clasped together as he looks up at Ray sweetly. “What’s your name?”

“I’m the Atom.” Ray’s grinning now, unable to help himself. The name rings important with the boy, because he turns to his sister with a huge grin.

“They can help us, Em.” He tells her with a hushed tone. He’s got wide green eyes on his sister with a toothless smile that’s piecing Ray’s damaged heart together. The two stare at one another with a moment of silence, but finally Em decides that she’ll place her trust in these superheroes.

“Okay,” Em agrees quietly.

Ray nods hurriedly, now lifting his arms out invitingly. The boy happily jumps forward, wrapping his little arms around Ray’s neck to keep a tight hold. Em’s slower, but she grabs onto his other side. Ray feels his breath leave him in relief now that they’ve got the kids safe.

He stands, turning back to Nate and Sara with a smile. “Let’s go.”

Nate’s pressing his finger to his ear again to activate his comm. “We’ve got the kids. They’re safe.”

Sara nods, now stepping forward to take the front. Nate’s at her side as well, making sure they’re providing the best shield they can for Ray and the kid. They make it out the front door, making sure to shut the door behind them. It’s a walk down the stone pathway, but it’s a tense few minutes. It’s open ground, and it feels like they could be attacked any minute.

Ray picks up his pace as they get closer to the ship, only to get them as far away from the mansion as they possibly can. They still haven’t gotten any updates from the rest of the team, which tells Ray that they must be busy working on apprehending Hartford.

The Waverider door opens as they get close, so the team rushes onto the platform and into the cargo bay where it’s safest. The door swings shut behind them, latching tightly with a whoosh of air.

“Okay, Nate, Ray, and I are all back on the ship.” Sara’s now updating the rest of the team.

Ray presses on, walking down the hall and past all rooms. He doesn’t stop until they reach the cortex of the ship, where only then does he rest. He looks down at the two kids he has in his arms, flashing them a warm smile.

“We’re safe now. You guys were really brave. Thank you for that.” Ray’s being honest with what he says. They’re young, and they need to know that they are brave. They’re going to need a lot more courage and kindness considering they’re going to live the rest of their lives without their parents. “Is it okay if I set you guys down?”

The two nod silently, so Ray bends at the knees to let the kids stand on their own. They’re nervous at first, only looking at Ray until they realize all the shiny stuff surrounding them. Then they’re consumed with childish curiosity. They look all around, but their feet never move.

After a few moments, Em turns to face Ray with a frown on her face. “Did that bad man hurt Mommy and Daddy?”

Ray’s mouth opens at that, but he quickly stops any words he was going to say. Instead, he starts with a far slower approach. He lowers down to one knee so he’s closer to their height, looking at the two with compassion. “May I know your names?”

“My name is Lionel and her name is Emerald!” The boy responds kindly, looking up at Ray with all the admiration a child can when they meet a superhero.

Ray smiles softly at that, hating the way these kids’ futures were altered due to some crazy serial killer from the future. It’s not fair, but he buries the thought down for the sake of the kids. “Yes, your mommy and daddy were hurt by that bad man. They fought for you both, with everything they had so you can be safe.”

“Mommy and Daddy aren’t coming back?” Lionel questions out of confusion, his head tilting to one side. Ray’s careful with his wording, and Lionel’s clearly picking up on that.

“Mommy and Daddy are in heaven, aren’t they?” Emerald asks instead, before Ray can get another word in otherwise.

Ray’s struggling with the way he wants to approach the situation, but he finds himself nodding. He looks at the two kids fully, wanting their last memories of their parents to be good ones. “Yes, they are. But before they went they made sure I would tell you that they love you.”

Emerald’s bottom lip starts to quiver and her eyes quickly well up with tears. Lionel notices the sight, which is enough to cause him to tear up as well. He reaches out to bury his face in her side and wrap his arms around her as tightly as he can. Em hugs back, letting the tears roll down her face now.

Ray’s at a loss of words, and his own eyes are starting to sting at the sight of the kids. They’re so young, and they do not have to go through the pain alone. Ray reaches out, his broad hands landing on their backs. The contact is enough of an invitation for the kids to turn and grasp onto him tightly. They bury their faces in his shirt as they cry.

-

It’s an hour later and Ray’s got the kids in his room, sleeping soundly on top of his bed. He’s been standing watch, making sure they’re absolutely safe now. He’s not sure what they’ll do with them, but he hopes these kids get the absolute best life they possibly can.

Ray looses himself in his thoughts, so when a knock comes at his door he startles. His eyes jumped to the door, but now that he’s regained himself, he checks to make sure he didn’t wake the kids. They snore contentedly under the covers, pressed close.

Ray lifts himself slowly out of his chair, padding his way over to the doorway. He presses a button and the door slides open to reveal Rip on the other side. His captain has his hands on his hips impatiently, and his lip is split.

“Dr. Palmer,” he greets, eyes glimpsing instantly over Ray’s shoulder to land on the kids. He sighs, now turning his blue eyes on Ray. “Sara told me you three brought the kids aboard.”

“I know, I know.” Ray starts with exasperation, but he puts his hand up in defense. “But these kids couldn’t be left there. We had to do something.”

Rip seems unsettled, but he nods. He knows that bringing the kids aboard ship is something he would have done as well, given their certain situation. But that doesn’t make it any easier. “Very well. The team is going to have a debriefing soon. It seems best that you watch over the children and we’ll update you afterwards.”

Ray gives Rip a respectful nod, and that’s all Rip needs. He turns back around, headed towards his office to carry on the debriefing he spoke about.

Ray heaves a heavy sigh as he shuts the door again, now turning back to look at Emerald and Lionel.

-

Ray’s just about dozed off, his head is in his hand and his feet are propped up when he hears rustling. He jerks upright, his eyes just opening the slightest. He’s confused at first, trying to find the source of the noise until his eyes land on Emerald and Lionel looking at him from his bed.

Ray wakens instantly for their sake. “Hey, you two. Did you sleep okay?”

Lionel’s rubbing at his eyes but nods sleepily. Emerald’s quickly agreeing through her yawn.

“Good,” Ray says contentedly.

“Ray, are there more superheroes on your team?” Emerald asks as she pulls the blanket tighter around herself. Lionel’s interested in the topic as well, so he looks up under thick lashes.

“Yes, there are. You guys already met Sara and Nate. There’s also Captain Hunter, who we call Rip. He and Sara are the captains of the team. Then we’ve got Heatwave, whose name is Mick, and Captain Cold, whose name is Leonard. Then there’s Martin and Jax, who are both Firestorm.” Ray explains kindly.

“Are they all nice?” Lionel questions next.

Ray finds himself nodding with pursed lips. “Yeah, for the most part. Mick and Leonard are a little mean at first, but they’re really nice guys once you get to know them. So don’t let them scare you.”

Emerald nods in response, but looks more excited about her next question. “What are all their powers?”

The pure interest and excitement on her face elicits a small chuckle from Ray. He’s happy to oblige all questions the kids have, anything to make their experience on the ship less painful. So he scoots his chair up closer and rests his elbows on the bed as he answers.

-

The team’s having a heavy discussion, which would be hard to avoid considering their current position. They’ve got Hartford tied and sedated in his cell, headed back to 2113 to return Hartford for a proper trial, but they also have the two children that Hartford turned into orphans on the ship as well.

It provides a lot of possible arguments.

Snart, in the meantime, isn’t as interested in the topic. They caught the bad guy and the kids are safe. He’s a few steps back, leaning against the chair he most often uses when they time jump. His mind is elsewhere as he stares at the opposite wall with narrowed blue eyes.

“Are you Captain Cold?”

Snart straightens up instantly at the tiny voice, but turns slowly towards the sound. He finds the girl they’d rescued at his side with round brown eyes behind a pair of glasses. She’s got her hands clasped in front of her, but she looks at Snart unwaveringly. For a child, she’s far from shy.

“Yeah,” Snart shoots back plainly. “Who are you?”

“I’m Emerald. Ray told me about you.” She’s supplying little information, but it’s enough to catch Snart’s interest. He turns towards her fully now, looking down at her skeptically.

“Yeah?” Snart drawls, but with his usual sass on a minimum. He’s not about to give this kid a rough time, but he’s also not the comforting type.

“Yeah,” she repeats from Snart, now nodding her head. Her auburn hair slides off her shoulder, so she pushes it back without a thought. “He said you’re not a very nice person.”

At the sentiment, Snart shifts from one foot to the other awkwardly. He hadn’t expected Ray to be so blunt with the children, but he’s not exactly wrong. “He’s not wrong.”

Emerald looks up at him as if he’d never said anything. She continues on, rolling forward on her toes as she talks. “He said once people get to know you that you show you’ve got a big heart.”   

Snart’s frozen at first, not sure how to take Emerald’s statement. His first instinct is to argue it, and mumble something about how stupid Ray is, but instead he just scoffs. He turns his gaze away now, shaking his head refutably. “Whatever you say, kid.”

The comment earns a small smirk from Emerald. Whatever she found in Snart’s response was enough for her, and she turns around and rushes off in the direction she came from.  

-

“Em!” Ray exclaims as she comes rushing into the kitchen with a small smile. “You can’t run away from me like that.”

Em only grins as she claims her chair next to Lionel. Ray shakes his head, but joins the two at the table. He’s got peanut butter and jelly sandwiches laid out on plates, cut nicely for the kids as well. He sets them down in front of the kids with a wave of his hand, now acting formal.

“For dinner, a creamy peanut butter and strawberry jelly spread on top of fluffy pieces of white bread. Only the best kind of dinner.” Ray beams at the kids as he takes his own seat, setting his sandwich down in front of him too.

Lionel giggles at Ray’s scene, his eyes scrunched tightly. “It’s just peanut butter and jelly.” He shoots back.

Ray mocks hurt at the comment, laying a hand delicately over his chest. “But it’s _my_ peanut butter and jelly. You guys will love it, I promise.”

Lionel listens happily, taking the sandwich in both hands and taking a large, healthy bite. Emerald’s more hesitant, but she takes a nibble as well. They concede at the taste and quickly go back for more. By the looks on their faces, Ray doesn’t think peanut butter and jelly was a common dish in their household. If their childhood was anything like Ray’s, they probably ate what their parents preferred, like roasted vegetables and expensive meats.

The thoughts forced from his mind as the a few members from the team come bustling through the door. Mick’s at the front of the line, grumbling about finding something to eat. He’s followed by Nate and Snart.

The attention is soon taken off of their food as they look up at the incoming superheroes. Of course they’re shy, and mostly intimidated by the size and brutishness that the guys possess.

“That’s Leonard, and Mick, and over there is Nate.” Ray supplies for them quietly, motioning to each of his teammates.

Emerald nods as she keeps her eyes on the guys. “I met Captain Cold already.”

Ray’s face contorts to pinched confusion and he’s about to ask when just as Snart catches his eye. He watches, instead, as Snart takes suave steps over to the table. He takes the chair next to Ray, pulling it out and plopping down in it.

“Peanut butter and jelly for dinner?” Snart questions as he glimpses down at the sandwiches. “That’s one of my favorites.”

At the sentiment, Lionel smiles shyly as Len glimpses in his direction. He flashes the kid a wider smile as he looks around at their plates. “Well, if you guys aren’t going to eat them I will.”

Lionel giggles aloud at that, reaching forward to take his sandwich in hand. He’s clearly hungry, so he takes the comment as an invitation to start eating. He takes a healthy bite out of the sandwich and chews contentedly.

After seeing her brother start, Emerald hesitantly picks up her sandwich as well. She’s more respectable as she takes a small bite. Ray can tell she’s been taught specific manners for the table, which young Lionel would just be learning. Ray remembers when he was younger and the way his mother’s assistant had him and his brother sitting upright without their elbows on the table by the time they were five.

Ray hopes more for these kids. He hopes they can actually be children, without someone expecting them to act like an adult at the dinner table.

He must have been thinking too hard, because when Snart’s arm bumps into his he jumps. Ray watches as Snart grabs half of the sandwich and quickly takes a bite, claiming it as his own. When Ray looks up to meet his gaze, Snart waggles his brows as he chews.

Ray feels a smile flourish on his face, so not to smile too widely he purses his lips together. He’s thankful Snart came over. He even got the kids to relax. Ray’s going to have to add “well with children” to his list of surprising things about Snart.

-

Ray enters Rip’s office with a nervous smile on his face. He raps his knuckles against the doorframe, bringing Rip’s eyes up to him. At the sight of Ray in his doorway, Rip gives the other a kind smile and waves him forward.

“Thank you for coming, Ray. How are Emerald and Lionel?” Rip lifts one leg, now leaning on the edge of his desk.

Ray stands across from him, his fingers sliding into his pockets. “They’re good. They’re resting in the entertainment room right now. After we ate I found a movie and played it for them.”

Rip nods in understanding. “I just wanted to let you know that we’ll be dropping Hartford off to the police in less than an hour. After that we’ll return the kids back to their time period.”

Ray knew in the end that the kids would have to return. Besides, while he’d like to think they’re safest with the team, they’re also at a larger risk in case they suffer any attacks. He’s just concerned as to where the kids will end up.

“We’ll arrive at a few minutes after we depart. The cops will already be there and we can hand them off. But I wanted to let you know that we will have to give them an amnesia pill. They cannot remember anything on this ship. They can’t remember us.” Rip’s voice grows softer as he talks.

Ray hadn’t thought about that previously, but now that Rip’s brought it up it makes sense. It’d be best for the kids’ safety, as well as their mental wellbeing. It wouldn’t be good for the kids to tell their friends about a magic ship filled with superheroes. It’s better for them this way. But that doesn’t stop it from hurting.

Ray’s gaze falls but he nods in understanding. “Of course.”

Rip tilts his head forward and Ray knows that that’s all he wanted to say. He wanted Ray to be prepared for the moment he’ll have to let the kids go. So Ray takes that as his farewell and turns around and leaves the room.

-

Lionel’s pushed all the way back on the couch, his little legs not even long enough to reach the end. Emerald’s just on the opposite end, with her end on the cushion and her legs drawn up under her. The two look downtrodden, and understandably so, but Ray can’t let them be like that for long. It’s healthy to grieve, but he’ll be damned if he’s going to leave these kids unhappy.

Ray starts to formulate an idea. He rushes off to the side where the control panel is inlaid into the wall. He drags his finger down the screen, finding music that would be suitable from Lionel and Em’s time period. He searches with narrowed eyes, until he finds something perfect.

Ray beams as he clicks on the title and the song starts to play through the entertainment room.

The kids look towards Ray instantly, but neither of the two perk up. Ray’s going to have to try for this one, so he beams at the kids and starts to mouth the words to the song. With the upbeat tune, he moves to stand behind the couch. He leans over, looking at Lionel upside down. That causes Lionel to giggle.

Ray moves around this time, now focusing on Em. He sings to her kindly, but she’s a little harder to crack. She just blinks in response to his antics, but Lionel’s now adding onto Ray’s show.

Lionel stands on the couch, bouncing up and down with a huge smile. His green eyes shine with a happiness that Ray’s glad he can give. He’s getting consumed in the moment now too, moving around the couch to stand in front of Lionel. The two share one look and then raise their fists to their faces pretending to sing into microphones.

Em’s now melting into the moment because she’s cracking a smile. With a few more lyrics, she jumps up too because she doesn’t want to miss the fun. She jumps up on the couch as well and mouths to the lyrics as best she can.

Ray turns slightly as Lionel reaches out for him and Emerald takes the opportunity to jump onto his back. She wraps her arms snuggly around his neck and locks her ankles around his torso to stay there. She’s laughing into his ear and Ray can’t help but chuckle too.

Lionel jumps off the couch but takes Ray’s hand in his. He starts to move around the room, leading them in something similar to a conga line. He moves along, glad to follow and add his own moves while holding onto Emerald.

As the three dance away, laughing and having a good time, Snart enters the doorway. He was confused the second he heard the music from down the hall, but now that he stands in the doorway and sees what the three are doing he understands. He was sent to inform Ray of a few updates, but he’s definitely not going to interrupt a moment like this.

Leonard leans against the doorway, crossing his arms over himself as he watches on. The site is too pure, with Ray’s golden smile and the kids dancing with him with pure joy. Even Snart starts to grin, but he’s soon caught when Emerald glimpses at the door. He expects her to point at him, call him out, but instead she just slides down from Ray’s back. Ray’s gentle as he lowers her, but he doesn’t pay much attention after that.

Emerald takes the opportunity to skip over to Snart’s side with mirth shining in her eyes. She reaches up to take his hand, but she’s a little too short. With a determined grin, she bounces up and captures his last three fingers and starts to pull him off the wall.

Snart’s surprising even himself as he lets her pull him from the wall and further into the room. She continues on, using all her strength until she gets him right behind Ray. Then, deviously, she taps on Ray’s side and he turns around with a sated grin. His warm eyes land on Snart, and then his shock sets in.

Leonard watches on, taking in the phases of Ray’s shock. It comes with widen eyes at first, then slightly parted lips, followed by reddening cheeks. He softens at the sight of Snart, shaking his head in disbelief. He’s opening his mouth to talk, but Emerald pushes Snart forward, even closer into Ray’s personal space.

She giggles as she moves around and wraps her arms around their legs. She starts to bounce again with amusement to the song. Lionel moves around as well, now taking their other side to do the exact same thing.

Ray’s laughing lightly, but flashes Snart an uncertain look. He’s making sure Snart’s okay with this, because he never would picture Snart being the kid type. But Snart’s still smiling, looking down at the kids with fondness.

Ray feels his breath catch in his throat and his heart stop, and that’s when he fully realizes his feelings for Leonard. He’s in love with Leonard Snart. Then Snart looks up with his blue eyes with a crooked smile to solidify Ray’s thoughts. And all Ray can do is smile back dazedly.

He looks down as he feels Lionel tap his knee, finding the kid reaching up for him with grabby hands. Ray laughs but bends at the knees to take Lionel in his arms. He perches the boy on his hip while bringing one hand cradle Emerald’s head. He glimpses down at her, finding her looking back at him with a smirk.

As the song is coming to a close, Lionel reaches out and wraps one hand around Snart’s neck to pull him into the embrace. Leonard allows him to be brought in, bringing one hand up to wrap around Ray’s waist as well. He takes his eyes off of Lionel to look at Ray now, gauging his reaction to make sure the gesture is welcome.

Ray breathes in through his nose at the contact, willing his heart to calm down a bit. He gives Snart another smile in response, one that’s not so controlled. He swallows as Snart’s gaze darts down to his lips and back up to his eyes. While the gesture in any normal situation would have had Ray’s head reeling, he’s keeping himself composed for the kids.

The song’s coming to a close, so Emerald clasps tighter onto Ray’s leg and looks up at him with pleading eyes. “Can we listen to it again?”

The question is so innocent that of course Ray nods in agreement. “Absolutely.” His sadness but come through because Snart’s hand presses a little firmer against Ray’s lower back.

-

It’s over an hour later and the kids are fast asleep on the large sofa in the entertainment room. Snart had thrown a cover over both of them to make sure they’d stay warm and then joined Ray just at the outskirt of the room. The two leaned against the wall, glimpsing at one another occasionally.

“Thanks for helping me out with the kids.” Ray murmurs from the other side of the doorframe.

Snart glances over at the children and then back to Ray, wearing a small smile. “You’re really good with kids. Of course, it’s not very shocking coming from you, Boy Scout.”

Ray chuckles under his breath at that, shaking his head. “On the other hand, I was expecting you to avoid them at all costs. But you didn’t, so I appreciate the help.”

Snart’s eyes dart down to the corner, smiling bashfully, which Ray hasn’t seen Snart do before. He can’t help but grin in response, and the two just happily stand there in silence until Rip comes to interrupt.

Rip’s got an outfit slung over one arm as he comes to stop at their side. “Ray, I’ve got a police uniform for you. You’ll be able to walk right up to make sure the kids are in safe hands.” Rip then hands over the outfit to reveal two small pills in hand and a water bottled tucked under his arm.

“We’ll be arriving shortly if you’d like to get the children prepared.” Rip’s calm as he explains, making sure he’s not pushing too hard.

Ray nods sadly as he takes the offered water and pills. It’s a little too hard on Ray, having to say goodbye already so he keeps his eyes down. Snart takes this moment to help and gives Rip a parting nod. The captain understands and nods his farewell.

Snart turns back to Ray once Rip’s gone and closes his hand over the pills. He takes them slowly, and captures the water bottle as well. “Go get dressed. I’ll get the kids up.”

Ray doesn’t say anything, he just turns and leaves because he’s afraid he’ll say something stupid otherwise. He clasps tightly onto the rough police uniform to keep himself grounded as he heads for a private room.

-

Ray’s standing by the exit of the ship with his jacket tight around himself. He looks up towards the ceiling, taking in a deep breath to get himself ready just as Snart comes into the cargo room.

He’s got Emerald in one arm and Lionel in the other, and both kids are sound asleep with their heads on his shoulders. He looks somber as he moves over to Ray’s side.

“They took the amnesia pill and fell back asleep.” Snart explains as he waits patiently.

Ray nods, stepping forward to look at the kids one last time. He smiles as he pushes a strand of hair away from Emerald’s face, and brushes Lionel’s bangs out of his eyes. “I hope they make the best out of life.” Ray says under his breath.

Ray’s got his attention and thoughts on the kids, but Snart’s got his eyes on Ray. He feels selfish in that moment, but the way Ray puts his full emotions forward is astounding. He knows how caring Ray is, he knows how passionate he is and how he’ll protect just about anyone, but his breath his still taken away by Ray’s kindness. He’s stuck, admiring the emotion in Ray’s eyes as well as his sad smile.

Rip’s then peering into the room with Sara just behind him. “We’ve landed. You should go now.”

Ray nods, now straightening as he puts on a straight face. He moves in, now exchanging the kids from Snart to himself. He’s careful not to stir them too much. He hears Lionel sniffle as he settles into Ray’s shoulder, and Emerald’s eyes flutter for a moment before closing again.

Ray steps back now that he’s got the two in his own arms, looking up to find Snart, Sara, and Rip all staring back. He gives them a nod and turns to the exit. Snart takes his opportunity and steps forward, swiping his hand over the handpad. The door falls open, so Ray steps out.

He keeps his head up and his gaze forward as he presses further. He can see the house just next to them, and the lights from the police cars flashing just over the home. He can hear the door shut behind him, but his mind is elsewhere. He’ll be in and out, but he can’t help but feel like he’s abandoning these kids.

Regardless, he knows there’s no other way.

Ray’s around the corner now, walking straight for the police cars. He can see the ambulance has already arrived and the bodies are already on gurneys, shut securely in the black body bags. He shakes his head, glad that the kids are still asleep.

A few officers are huddled together, mumbling about the victims and the lack of evidence they found inside. Even if they do find fingerprints, Ray knows that they’ll never be able to trace it back to anyone. Hartford, the heartless murderer isn’t born for another hundred or so years.

Ray’s gaining the attention of a few officers as he gets closer, and they’re all distracted by the kids he has. One moves forward, opening the door to the police cruiser so Ray and set them down.

“I found the kids hiding in a cabinet. They’re unharmed.” He explains to the surrounding officers brusquely as he sets Lionel down first. Lionel stays asleep, now pressing his cheek against the cruiser seat. When Ray sets Em down next, she wakens with sleepy eyes.

“Ray,” Em blinks, but that does nothing for her exhaustion. She reaches out, grabbing onto his jacket. “Are you leaving?”

Ray purses his lips, fighting back all urges he has to hug her tightly. “Yes, Em. But you’re in safe hands now. You’ll be taken care of. I promise.”

Em’s head falls back against the car seat, looking up at Ray with heartbreak. “I’ll miss you.”

Ray feels himself give her a wobbly smile, nodding. He grabs onto her hand, holding it between his. She’s so small, so fragile, but he can already tell how strong she is. She’s a brilliant kid and he has the utmost hope for her and Lionel. He presses a kiss to the top of her hand and then sets it down on her lap. By the time he looks up she has already dozed off to sleep.

Ray rises to stand fully, clamping his mouth tightly shut as he takes a deep breath in through his nose. He receives a few claps on the back from surrounding officers in congratulations for finding the kids safely, but Ray’s only feeling worse the further he gets from the car.

He sweeps around the home and right back to the ship, now jogging to get there quicker. He wants to be taken away as quick as possible, and luckily the door is opening on his arrival. He jumps in, presses his hand to the pad, and sighs in relief as the door shuts him off from 1989.

When he turns back around, no one is left in the cargo bay. He’s by himself, and he’s actually quite thankful for that. He slides the jacket off his shoulders and hangs it over his forearm, now only standing in slacks and a black t-shirt.

Ray makes his way down the hall with his head down, and he’s passed Rip’s office and turns around towards the other end of the ship. Once he passes the library he’ll be down the hall with their rooms and he’ll be able to lie down and take a long sleep.

He’s just passing the doors when he notices that one is propped open. Out of curiosity, he peers inside to find Snart resting against one of the desks, legs crossed in front of him and eyes on wall.

“Raymond, come join me for a second.” Snart never takes his eyes off the wall, but he doesn’t need to know it is Ray at the door.

Hesitantly, he walks inside, now getting Snart’s eyes on him. Leonard smiles back as he pats the free spot on the desk next to him.

“I want to show you something.” Snart explains.

Ray gives him an uncertain look, but with one yearning look from Snart and he listens. He takes his seat next to the other, their hips now touching. He keeps his head turned as he waits for Snart to continue.

“Once Em and Lionel were put back into their time their future solidified.” Snart then waves his hand forward, bringing Ray’s attention to the screen hanging on the opposite wall.

Ray looks up, now finding an image of Emerald and Lionel, the two both grown adults now. They’ve got their arms slung around each other, beaming at the camera with joy.

“This is them in 2016. Emerald’s now a doctor and Lionel’s an engineer.” Snart’s voice has turned prideful as he talks about the kids they were with just moments before. His hands fall down onto his thighs, turning towards Ray. “They turned out just fine, Raymond.”

Ray huffs out a breathless laugh, now studying the picture with disbelief. He stares a few seconds longer before he turns to Snart with a soft smile. “Thank you. For this.”

Snart’s nodding, now looking away shyly. “Yeah. Don’t expect this treatment often”-

Ray’s lifting his hand before he thinks, cupping Len’s cheek to force his eyes back on Ray. He feels a chill run down his back as Snart’s blue eyes flicker down to his lips. He doesn’t wait any longer because if he does the moment will be gone, so he leans forward to capture Len’s lips with his.

He kisses with strength, keeping his hand firmly on Snart’s cheek. But once Snart’s lips move against his he melts into a tender puddle. He feels Snart slide down from the desk, not once breaking their kiss. His hands land just above Ray’s knees, pushing them apart so he can stand in between them.

Len gives Ray another peck and then pulls back. “You’re more than anyone ever deserves. Especially myself.”

Ray’s thumb strokes slowly against Len’s cheekbone, looking up at Snart with his large eyes. “You’re wrong.” He then guides Len back to him, pressing a kiss to his bottom lip. “Don’t make me list all of the things I find wonderful about you”- Ray gasps as one of Snart’s hand snakes under his thigh and the other around his waist. He’s then lifted from the desk, so he wraps his legs tightly around Snart.

Snart grins mischievously as he keeps his hands firmly on Ray. “I don’t know about you but I’m pretty exhausted after taking care of the kids. I’m thinking we should take a nice nap.”

Ray’s giggling as he brings his hands up to wrap around Snart’s neck. Snart’s already headed back to his room, walking out of the library and into the hall. “I never thought I’d feel so old.” He answers as he presses a kiss to Snart’s cheek.


End file.
